


Zote and Zero

by NightlyDragonfly



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: For someone on Reddit, Gen, Zote’s gathering an army against PK, i wrote this at midnight
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-17
Updated: 2020-11-17
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:43:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27603683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NightlyDragonfly/pseuds/NightlyDragonfly
Summary: Zote, in search of new warriors to add to his Great Pantheon, challenges a spirit.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 7





	Zote and Zero

Zote trudged through the Resting Grounds, grimacing at the dreary aura the place gave off. Hmph. The graveyard was clearly not a place of excitement. The knight of great renown had been scouring it in hopes of a strong spirit manifesting before him, praising its loyalty to his eternal strength and begging to join his pantheon. 

Zote peered up at the last set of graves that preceded the stag station path. The largest one caught his attention. The plague had one short message on it: “Cursed are those who turn against the king.” 

Zote made a small noise akin to a scoff. Someone else had tried to stop the pale cur. Obviously, their strength wasn’t enough, proven by the grave.  
Zote was about to move on when an idea struck him. He was looking for more warriors and knights to join his Great Pantheon. Perhaps if he spoke to this spirit, if they were here, they’d make the right choice and join him as well. 

Zote unsheathed Life Ender and pointed it at the tombstone. “Spirit! I, Zote the Mighty, challenge you to a duel! Reveal yourself!” 

The graveyard was deathly quiet (as one would expect from a graveyard). Zote felt annoyance wallow inside of him, and he waved Life Ender again. The rudeness of this spirit! 

“Hmph. I see you are too scared to even show your lowly presence to me. A shame.” Zote kept Life Ender drawn and primed as he lowered it. He swept his cloak to keep the dusty earth off its marvelous fronds and turned away from the tombstone, ready to continue his search. 

A flash of red appeared in his vision. Zote turned to see the spirit floating in front of the tombstone. It had piercing crimson armor and a shredded cloak of the same color that moved as if rustled by the winds of Howling Cliffs. Pure white eyes observed Zote from the shadows of the red helmet the spirit donned, the crescent horns matching the tombstone exactly. The spirit said nothing and chose to merely observe Zote. 

Zote swallowed the ounce of fear the intimidating spirit conjured and raised Life Ender once more. “So you show yourself to me. My demand remains. Duel me, cur, and show me the strength you hoped to have to challenge the king.”

The spirit was silent. They didn’t move aside from the idle floating. Their eyes went to Life Ender, then the wielder. Zote stared back defiantly. 

A soft noise broke the stare down. The spirit chuckled once, the noise bitter and worn. “Very well,” they muttered, their voice raspy, though not as much as Tiso’s. “Though, I must ask.” The white gaze burrowed into Zote’s soul. “Do you still hope, wanderer? Will you flee? Or will you raise your weapon and doom us both?”

Zote let the ominous words echo. He felt his grip on Life Ender slacken. Perhaps this warrior wasn’t the foolish traitor the tombstone had made them out to be. Zote took one gaze into the emotionless white eyes and puffed out his chest. He raised Life Ender once more. “Your words do not sway me! Fight me, cur!” 

The spirit looked tired but said nothing. They floated higher above Zote and held out an arm. Two glowing nails manifested next to their hands, floating around the spirit. Zote watched the nails with caution. One nail took aim, and at a mere flick of the spirit’s hand, was sent speeding towards Zote. Zote’s eyes widened as the nail sped towards him. He barely sidestepped it, watching as the nail continued its path, embedding into the ground. Zote smirked, though it fell as the nail boomeranged back to the spirit. Said spirit watched silently, cloak billowing as they sent down another nail. 

Zote dodged the nail and swung Life Ender. The shellwood blade made contact with the spirit’s leg. The spirit watched with slight annoyance as little Essence leaked from the hit. They flicked a hand and a nail homed in on Zote.

Zote’s eyes widened as he saw the nail grow closer. He didn’t have time to dodge. The nail pierced his mask. Zote expected to feel pain engulf him. To his shock, he felt none, even as small fragments of his mask fell to the earth as the nail retreated.  
A newfound confidence filled the knight as he picked himself up. He charged at the spirit, dodging a nail and slashing at their thorax. The spirit floated back, bombarded with slashes. Zote ceased his barrage as he watched Essence spill. 

The spirit gazed down at Zote. Wordlessly, they readjusted themselves, cloak billowing even more. Two more nails materialized, floating next to the previous two. Zote would’ve been worried at the quadruple nails. However, only smug confidence filled him. This spirit couldn’t hurt him. 

Zote leaped as a nail came at him. However, it was followed by a vicious second nail. This one collided with Zote’s stomach, sending him sprawling to the floor. The nails didn’t stop, both of them homing in on his fallen form. Zote rolled out of the way and snatched Life Ender from the ground. When another two nails came, he was careful to dodge them both. On the way back, he snagged one of them and let the nail steer him towards his opponent. The spirit’s white eyes seemed to widen as Zote slashed at them with his blade. 

The spirit exploded into Essence, the nails disappearing as Zote landed in front of the tombstone. The spirit reappeared in front of their tombstone. They observed Zote, then bowed in respect. Zote merely gave a curt nod. 

“A battle well fought, spirit. However, your nails could not harm me.” Zote sheathed Life Ender. “Perhaps your attacks do zero damage because your weapons are weak.” Hope sparked in his chest as he saw the spirit slightly incline their head. “Join me, spirit. In my Great Pantheon, you will have a new name, new weapons, and a chance to stop the Pale Cur. Do my terms appease you?”

The spirit nodded after a moment’s hesitation. Zote would’ve grinned. “Very well. Come, spirit. Let us be off then.”

Zote sat in his throne, observing as the next fight was set to begin. The empty cur, the ghost, stepped out into the arena, the three platforms floating above clouds. 

The air stilled as their opponent appeared. The spirit Zote had recruited. His crimson armor was gone, replaced with vantablack armor, the cloak a deep gray. His white eyes glared down at the ghost and he summoned two nails. They were a pure metal of some sort, unlike the light ones he originally had. The spirit felt like a new warrior. New armor, new nails, and a new name.  
Zote leaned back with a grin. Zero would not let him down.

**Author's Note:**

> This is for pa0lod82 on Reddit, the creator of the Great Pantheon of Zote. The day in question, as well as the lore (or Zotification by PokemonJimbob) is below.  
> Day 11: Zero: https://www.reddit.com/r/HollowKnight/comments/jnebc3/the_great_pantheon_of_zote_day_11_zero/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb


End file.
